The user of a conventional toilet is generally seated in a chair-like position, with the femur portion of each leg extending approximately horizontally, and the lower portion of the person's leg downward therefrom. Such conventional toilet position is unnatural, in comparison with the squatting position used by primates in the wild, by persons in primitive societies, and in other situations where seat-type toilets are unavailable. In the natural, squatting position, the femurs are extended or canted upward, with a resulting body position which properly aligns intestines, allows right use of gravity and abdominal tension, while relieving strain on sphincter muscles. Precipitation or aggravation of diseases of the urinary, lower digestive and intestinal tracts may be attributed to the unnatural position during waste elimination caused by use of conventional toilets.
The seat of a conventional toilet is generally too small for resting of the feet simultaneously with the buttocks; furthermore, the emplacement of the feet in the same plane as the buttocks may not only be uncomfortable, but may, through excessive extension or canting of the femur, cause muscle strain and elimination difficulties different from, but as undesirable as, the strain and elimination difficulties of the horizontal-femur conventional seating position of a conventional toilet. An ideal position for squatting-type toilet use is with the feet somewhat beneath the plane defined by the toilet seat, but elevated from conventional pendent or conventional-height floor position so that a substantial and healthful elevation or canting of the femur is achieved.
While persons who recognize the advantage of the squatting position in toilet use are free to place loose items or objects temporarily beneath their feet when using a conventional toilet, such objects may not be readily available, may not be of suitable height, and being loose may slip away during use. Further, it may cause undue bodily contortion and possible muscle strain to reach for such a loose footrest object and to emplace it after one is already seated upon the conventional toilet. While a footrest accessory nearby the toilet may be desirable, the accessory may get in the way of initial seating or arising from the conventional toilet.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a retractable squat-facilitation toilet footrest which, in retracted position is out of the way of a person initially being seated upon or arising from the toilet, and which, in extended, non-retracted or operative position provides a footrest suitable for elevating the femur of a person seated upon the toilet to a healthful squatting position by emplacement of a foot or the feet thereon.
A further object of the invention is to provide a retractable squat-facilitation toilet footrest which may be used in cooperation with a conventional toilet without being affixed to said toilet.
Another object of the invention is to provide a retractable squat-facilitation toilet footrest capable of supporting the weight of a toilet user when said user transfers the entire body weight in squatting position to the feet, as when the buttocks are not resting upon the toilet seat.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide convenient, manually operated means for extending the footrest from retracted to operative position, and for retracting the footrest from operative to retracted position.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a retractable squat-facilitation toilet footrest having mechanically coupled means for simultaneously extending and retracting left and right footrests.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a retractable squat-facilitation toilet footrest having power-assisted means for extending and retracting each footrest.
Another object of the invention is to provide a retractable squat-facilitation toilet footrest having means for adjusting the height of each footrest to suit the user.